Sir Clive Woodward, who guided England to World Cup glory in 2003, believes Jonny Wilkinson's retirement will allow the team to finally move on and start a new era in the sport.

It was Wilkinson's extra time drop goal that beat Australia to win the Cup and create the greatest moment in English rugby history and it remains the bench mark for everyone in the sport in this country. England and Wilkinson narrow failed to defend the trophy in 2007 losing to South Africa in 2007 and then he was unable to steady a rocky ship at the 2011 Cup in New Zealand when they lost in the quarter-final with the trip beset by controversy.

With Wilkinson gone and the retirement from rugby of Steve Thompson and from test rugby of Lewis Moody plus Simon Shaw's decision to head to France it means only Mike Tindall is available to England from that 2003 Cup winnning squad and off the field controversy will ensure he does not play again.Those Cup winners were in New Zealand but could not repeat the magic of eight years previously.

The resignation of Martin Johnson, the Cup winning captain, as team manager after the 2011 tournment severs another huge link with the golden period of English rugby.

Woodward said: "Jonny has had a long career. He came into the side when he was 18 and this is the end of an era and it is perhaps fitting that we move on from that era now."

Woodward was a fan not just of the player's exceptional kicking talents, but also the impact he had on the sport around the world.

"The way he defended and attacked, he was a very special player," added Woodward, who handed Wilkinson his England debut in 1998.

"All of us involved in that team [in 2003] just felt very lucky and privileged to have had him around at that time.

"He would have taken the decision to retire very seriously but he will still be playing for Toulon, and he has been playing very well for Toulon.

"I'd just like to say well done to him. He has done so much for not just English rugby but also world rugby on the field, and especially off the field."

After the World Cup success in 2003, Wilkinson's career was beset by injuries, and he did not play again for the national side for almost four years after the Sydney final.

"Every player has injuries and he probably had more than his fair share but that was the way he played the game," said Woodward.

"I remember trying to keep him out of rucks so many times and trying to keep him out of contact but that wasn't him, he wanted to get involved.

"He would smash into rucks and that was because he wanted to be a real team player."